“Vintage Means Classic For A Reason” By Our Artistic Director, Sean Buhagiar

Welcome to the first-ever Ġambori – it’s like Glitch, but with fewer beers and more life experience. We’re here to celebrate the infamous kartanzjan i.e. the over-60s, proving once and for all that life doesn’t become beige as you age. It gets technicolour!

Did you know there are some academics like Fancourt & Tymoszuk, who admittedly sound like a detective duo from a BBC series – found that getting active in the arts is like a superfood for the older brain? A remarkable 48% lower risk of mental health problems for people over 60 who attend a culturally engaging activity at least once a month! True story! Here at Ġambori, we’re putting that research into period shoes and funky hats. Our gang, the fabulous Każin 60+ (never heard of them? You will!), are tearing up the stage, and none of them were pros to begin with. They’re living proof that you don’t need a birth certificate from the last two decades to be creative. 

Internationally, the Americans with Stagebridge, an arts organisation for older adults, and the Brits with Entelechy Arts have been jazzing up the lives of older folks with theatre. Ġambori aligns with these models. It’s not just about watching; it’s about doing. We’re flipping the script on what it means to be old – and no, I don’t just mean swapping tea for a gin and tonic. In our grand plan, the senior squad are not just sitting in the audience, nodding along and clapping politely. That too, but they’re also up there, under the spotlight, being the stars of the show or helping us build a set. They’re not just the potential crowd; they’re part of the main event.

It’s not just important; it could be revolutionary. Remember Ġuża Caruana, Johnny Catania, and all those teatrin legends? Nossie Ghirlando, Dante Gatt, and Pawlu Camilleri, Emanuel Grima, Franz Spiteri, Ġiraldu Vella weren’t just footnotes in a history book, but the talk of the town. Echoes of a bygone amateur theatre era. Well, Ġambori can help bring that vibe back. What if our older generations reclaim our community theatres? Collaborating with the very young ones who can start in the amateur theatre world? 

Thanks to the Ministry for Active Ageing, we’re not just throwing a festival; we’re starting an annual movement. Aged 60 and fancy being the next Meryl Streep? Go for it. Seventy and want to stitch up a storm in costume design? The stage is yours. Let’s make Ġambori the place where you don’t just stroll down memory lane; you dance down it. 

Imagine a world where our glorious seniors are doing more than just reminiscing about the good old days. They’re creating new ‘good old days’ right here, right now – on stage, behind the scenes, and everywhere in between. Welcome to the new age – or should I say, the new ‘old age’ – where every wrinkle tells a story, and every story deserves a stage! Welcome to Ġambori – the encore of your life.

Book your tickets for Ġambori here!